Folding table



F. W. A. TECHMER.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, I920.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

FOLDING TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application filed May 5, 1920. Serial No. 378,977.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED W. A. TECHMER,

a citizen of the United State, and a resident of La Crosse, in the county of La Crosse and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

. The invention relates to folding tables.

One object of the invention is to provide a folding table having legs pivotally connected thereto in such manner that when they are in o erative position they will firmly hold an supporttlae table.

Another object of the lnvention is to provide an improved folding table.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective showing the legs of the table folded under the table top. Fig. 2 is a perspective of one of the legs in locked position. Fig. 3 is a section through the table top showing one of the legs in operative position, Fig. 4 is a detail of the lock for the lower end of one of the braces. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of one of the brackets 1n which the legs are pivoted. Fig. 6 is a per spective of a portion of the table 1n folded position.

The table comprises atop which is for-med of sections 7 and 8, each of which has cleats 9 secured to its underside and adjacent its ends. Hinges 10 ivotally connect the cleats and are provided to permit the table-top sections to be folded together for convenience in storage. A suitable latch 11 is adapted to lock the top-section in extended osition when the table is unfolded for use. Eegs 12 are pivotally connected to the top sections so they can be folded thereunder, as illustrated in Fig. 1 or into operative position, as shown in ig. 2.

Brackets 14 are provided for connecting the upper ends of the legs to the top and are alike in construction. Each bracket 14 comprises arallel side walls 15 and cross-walls 16 which close one end of the bracket, the other end being open to permit the leg to pass into the bracket and between the sidewalls 15. The cross-wall 16 abuts against the inner side of a cleat 9 so that the bracket will be snugly positioned in the corner formed by the top and the cleat. Tongues 17 project laterall from the u er e of the side walls for screws nail s sd attach the bracket to the underside of the table top and a tongue 18 extends outwardly and laterally-from wall 16 to fit against the underside" of a cleat, for a screw to secure the bracket to the cleat. The side and end Walls and lugs of the bracket 14 are all integrally formed and are of such constructron that the bracket can be formed of sheet metal and when secured to the top and the cleat will provide a firm and rigid bracket for the leg.

The upper end of each leg fits between the walls 15 and 16 of one of the brackets 14 and a bolt 24 extends through the sidewalls 15 of the bracket and the leg to pivotally connect the leg to the table. The leg is free to swing through t e open side of the bracket into folded position against the underslde of one of the table-sections.

Each leg is adapted to be locked in operative posltion by a combined brace and lock wh ch 1s formed of a rod having a pintle 25 at its upper end pivotally held in an car 26 on a plate 27 which is secured to the underside of one of the table sections, an arm 28 disposedto bear against the underside of the top section, a brace portion 29, and a hookterminal 30. A sheet-metal corner bracket 31 is extended to fit against two of the sides of a legv 12, is secured thereto by screws '32 andis provided with an angular portion 33 having an elongated slot 34 for guiding the lower portion of the brace-member 29 and an inclined portion 35 formed with a hole 36 to receive the hook 30 of the brace. The

brace-member is resilient and the arm 28 is formed so that it will bear against the underside of the table-top and yieldingly press the hook 30 into the hole 36 and thus slot 41 in a plate 42 secured to the contiguone cleat on the other section to hold the table in folded position. When the table is to be unfolded, it is 0n1 necessary to release hook 40, then swing t e top-section apart and swing the legs away from the table top. As the'inclined portions 35 of the brackets 31 engage the hooks 30, they Wlll spring the brace-members and guide the hooks into holes 36 and thus automatically lock the legs in operative position. A. characteristic of thearms 28 for forcing braces into locked osition is that, as the braces are swung into olded position adjacent the top, the arms 28.

will be swung away from the top to render them inoperative and permit the legs to be folded unretarded by the pressure produced by the braces.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these maybe modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A foldin table comprising the combi nation of a ta le-top, a cleat secured to the underside of said top, a bracket having integral side-walls, a cross-wall connecting said side walls, and laterally projecting lugs integral with the bracket for attachment to the underside of the top and cleat respecat the lower end of said connecting wall tounderlie and for attachment to said cleat, a leg having its upper end formed to pass and be held between said walls, and a hinge pin extending centrally through the upper portion of the leg and the side walls of the bracket.

3. A folding table comprising the combination of a top, legs havin their upper ends plvotally connected to t e top, resilient braces pivotally connected to the top, de-* vices on. the legs with which the lower ends of the braces are adapted to interlock to secure the legs in operative position, the braces belng provided with means for forcing them into locking engagement with said devices, said means being movable with the braces so as to be inoperative to force them into-lock- 1ng posltion when the legs are in folded pos1t1on.

4; A folding table comprising the combinatlon of a top, legs having their upper ends plvotally connected to the top, resilient braces pivotally connected to the top, devices onthe legs with which the lower ends of the braces are adapted to interlock to secure the legs in operative position, the braces being.

provided with integral arms adapted to yieldingly force the braces into lockedengagement with said devices.

5 A folding table comprising the combination of a top, legs having their upper ends pivotally connected to the top, resilient braces pivotally connected to the top, brackets on and projecting from the sides of the legs, havlng gulde-slots for the braces, hooks on the braces the brackets having means to lock the hooks, and means for yieldingly forcing the hooks into locked position.

6. A folding table comprising the combination of a top, legs having their upper ends pivotally connected to the top, resilient braces pivotally connected to the top, brackets on the legs having guide-slots for the braces, hooks on the braces thebrackets having means to loclgthe hooks, integral arms on the braces adapted to force the hooks into the locking means, and guide-means for the hooks on the brackets.

' FRED W. A. TECHMER. 

